Germany's 'Fairytale Castle' is No Longer the Country's Top Attraction

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Here's what replaced it.

Erika Owen

August 14, 2015

The German National Tourist Board (GNTB) has released its annual list of the country's top 100 tourist attractions and a familiar face has ended its years-long reign at No. 1. It was never a shock that the Neuschwanstein Castle sat at the top for so long—with its fairytale looks and well-known history, the attraction brings in more than 1.4 million visitors every year. The castle, which was built by King Ludwig II as a private refuge in 1886 was quickly opened to the public after his death, has become the attraction that Instagram photo dreams are made of.

The new must-visit spot is actually an amusement park: Europa-Park, Germany's biggest theme park. And hey! It's one of the few parks in the country that are open throughout the harsh wintertime. Given that the park is essentially a European version of Disneyland—their mascot is goes by the name of "Euro Mouse"—this isn't entirely surprising. You can check out the full list of Germany's must-see sites on the GNTB website.

Erika Owen is the Audience Engagement Editor at Travel + Leisure. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @erikaraeowen.